


Leaf Me Alone, I’m Bushed

by novashyperion



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, inFAMOUS: Second Son
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, AtLA AU, Delsin is the Avatar, Desmond is an Earthbender, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 19:24:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17648477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novashyperion/pseuds/novashyperion
Summary: Come to Ba Sing Se, they said. Nothing bad happens in Ba Sing Se, they said. Yeah right.or, Desmond's just trying to make a life for himself in Ba Sing Se, but the Avatar won't let him catch a break.





	Leaf Me Alone, I’m Bushed

_Come to Ba Sing Se, they said. Nothing bad happens in Ba Sing Se, they said. Yeah right._

Desmond rested his cheek into his hand, watching the sign from over the door finally drop after teetering for spirits knew how long. To be honest, it was amazing the sign had managed to stay standing for so long. Half the shop itself was in shambles, the door giving way to a gaping opening and a row of demolished chairs and tables underneath.  

After all, it was about the third time the Avatar -  _the Avatar_ \- had come blowing through, causing a wave of destruction in his path. Desmond had not been the only one who had been less than pleased with the Avatar’s appearance. For every disgruntled complaint, there was five or so more that thought he was cool. The slouchy, comfy look, the excited aura, hell, even the outrageous art he was tagging all over the walled city, it wasn’t a wonder he had the earth nation so captivated. If Desmond wasn’t getting the brunt of the guy’s elemental rave party, he might have been a little smitten himself.  

Might have been. Maybe.

Desmond slapped both palms over his face. This wasn’t what he needed right now.

He’d been wandering the whole earth kingdom since he was sixteen, having run away from home in the middle of nowheresville earth kingdom, on The Farm as he grew up knowing it... from his father.

He’d seen tons of things and yet never felt like he’d ever found a home. And the one time he decides to put down roots somewhere, try and make some place feel like he was meant to be there, something just had to come and mess it up. Well, some _one_  more like.

As it stood, the Avatar apparently was well versed in fire and air, and recently had come to Ba Sing Se in search of a teacher. For Desmond’s sake, he hoped he found one soon and just left the damn city so Desmond could go back to his dinky little tea shop. Or what would be left of it.

With one more long-suffering sigh, Desmond forced himself to his feet. He crunched through the rubble and mess, frown deepening when he caught sight of all the other little things hidden under the walls. The vase he’d gotten recently had lasted three days more than the chairs at least.  

Desmond planted his feet firm, getting into stance. With a steady exhale, he thrust his hands up, earth following suit. The walls rose up, supporting the low hanging ceiling that was giving way. He added in a few more columns for support. He bended the rubble together until it was forming a row of short benches and tables, figuring they would have better luck at surviving the Avatar’s next trip through. It wouldn’t be very comfy for the patrons, but Desmond figured a couple pillows would probably fix that. There was a lot more cleaning to be done, but Desmond figured that could wait.

He walked outside, surveying the broken sign of The Aquila. It wasn’t completely beyond repair, but it with a bit of ingenuity, it could be salvaged. With a flick of his hand, Desmond shifted rocks and rubble away, hip cocked out as he took in the sign. Pursing his lips, Desmond brought his hands up.

Behind the sign, Desmond jutted out four points, almost like a triangular downwards kite. With a flick, something like a tail popped out from the top. He raised a bit of the rubble up and shoved the sign back, etching it into the slab.  

“Hey, man, you do that?” A voice from behind him drawled. “Gotta say, I’m digging the art choice.”

Desmond found himself scowling before he even turned around, a flush of mild embarrassment coloring his cheeks. He looked over his shoulder ready to snarl out whoever had come to bother him.

Only, the person standing right there was the Avatar.

Desmond snapped his mouth shut. He looked away, muttering under his breath. “It’s just a sign, man.”

The Avatar came to stand beside him, arms crossed as he hummed. He nodded after a moment.  

“Nah, I don’t think so. It’s definitely got potential. A little more oomph here and there, and it would really pop. You’ve got some skill.” The Avatar grinned at him. 

Desmond snorted. “Hardly. No better than any other earthbender in this city.”

“Not to me you aren’t.” The Avatar crowded into his space, resting an elbow to Desmond’s shoulder and stuck his other hand out for him to shake. He grinned big and open. “Name’s Delsin. You?”

Despite his better judgement, Desmond took the other man’s hand in his own and gave it a firm shake. “Desmond.”

It was weird how contagious the guy’s enthusiasm was. Desmond himself was a glass half empty kind of guy, and Delsin just seemed to be running on overflowing. A type of cocky invincibility. As much as Desmond wanted to stay pissed, the longer the guy smiled at him like they’d been buddies for lifetimes, the more weirdly at ease he felt. He frowned; He didn’t like that.

Delsin’s eyes tracked the line of the scar on his lip, a little too obviously for Desmond not to notice. HIs eyes bounced back up to Desmond’s. “Sooo, can you teach me? I’ve only seen one other person manipulate concrete, and I gotta say, I like your style way better.”

“I’d like  _you_  better if you stopped destroying my place.” Desmond couldn’t help the snark in his voice.  

If the Avatar was offended, he didn’t show it. If anything, he shot Desmond a wolfish grin, all fire nation snark and bite on his features. It made him handsome, in an obnoxious sort of way. “So that’s a yes then?”

It would be troublesome to have to teach him, but the thought of making the guy clean up what he’d wrought was beginning to feel kind of worth it. 

Besides, who was to say he wouldn’t grow bored of Desmond anyway? 

Desmond wasn’t a flashy bender by far. He blended in well, could get lost in a crowd and become lost in their masses. Maybe Delsin would get so fed up of him, he’d never set foot anywhere near The Aquila again because of how much he’d want to never see Desmond again.

A tiny, traitorous voice whispered right after in his head. Maybe, he’d get to see that smile up close some more, bearing down on Desmond like he was the only one in a five mile radius. Like he was worth the attention and the effort.

 _Not now, emotional baggage_ , Desmond mused.

Desmond always knew he was bad a good decisions.

“Sure,” Desmond responded. He clapped Delsin hard on the back, sending him stumbling forward. He didn’t spare him a glance as he shouldered into his tea shop searching out for a broom. “But only after you help me clean your mess up. You got some handle of earthbending at least, but hopefully the great and mighty avatar can impress me.”

Delsin swiped the broom from him, turning on his heel on a puff of air. “Oh, I plan to.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> So Delsin’s the avatar because of his power absorbing thing yada yada. And Desmond’s just an ordinary earthbender from buttfuck nowhere, earth kingdom. Delsin’s fire nation because his “first” conduit power was smoke/fire.
> 
> the other concrete bender is Augustine obv. concrete count as earthbending?? you decide. 
> 
> The logo Desmond made is supposed to look like the constellation Aquila
> 
> It’s short because I just wanted to get the idea out. First draft is last draft. 
> 
> original tumblr posting--->http://shyfoxes.tumblr.com/post/182490012008/leaf-me-alone-im-bushed-desdel-au
> 
> I ended up posting it on my ao3 anyway just because I grew so fond of it as i kept thinking about this AU


End file.
